Gauging and sorting machine



July 25, 1961 G. R. ECKSTEIN GAUGING AND SORTING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 21, 1958 650E615 R. ECKSTE/ y 1961 G. R. ECKSTEIN 2,993,593

GAUGING AND SORTING MACHINE July 25, 1961 G. R. ECKSTElN GAUGING AND SORTING MACHINE Filed April 21, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

GEORGE R. zcxsrn/v BY W Af. 7 6 95 July 25, 1961 G. R. ECKSTEIN 2,993,593

GAUGING AND SORTING MACHINE Filed April 21, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG. 4

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GEO/F65 1Q. ECKSTE/N United States Patent 7 2,993,593 p GAUGING AND SORTING George R. Eckstein, Fail-field, Conn., assignor to Remmgton Arms Company, Inc., Bridgeport, Conn., a corporation of Delaware Filed Apr. 21, 1958, Ser. No. 729,584 3 Claims. (Cl. 209-,88)

This invention relates to improved automatic equip ment for rapidly measuring a given dimension of small uniform articles and sorting the articles into groups according to variations in the measured dimension.

More particularly the equipment of the present invention is intended for use in the measuring and sorting of primer elements used in the manufacture of firearm ammunition, and must meet rigid requirements as to safety while maintaining a practical speed level in doing the work.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved machine for automatically gauging and sorting small cylindrical articles, such as fiream ammunition primers, in such a way that all articles falling within the allowable limits as to the measured dimension are placed in one group, all articles having the measured dimension greater than the allowable limit are placed in another group, and those of measured dimension less than the allowable limit placed in yet another group.

It is another object of this invention to carry out the gauging and sorting operation at a rapid rate while maintaining a high degree of safety.

These and other objects will be apparent from a consideration of the following specification together with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevation of amachine embodying features of the present machine.

FIGURE 2 is a top or plan view of the machine of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a back view of the machine of FIG- URE 1.

FIGURE 4 is an end View of the machine of FIG- URE 1.

FIGURE 5 is a partial sectional view taken at line 5-5 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 6 is a partial sectional view taken at line 6-6 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 7 is a partial sectional view taken at line 77 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 8 is a partial sectional view taken at line 88 of FIGURE 6.

Generally and basically, in the machine of the present invention, the articles are moved from a feeding and orientating device to a gauging position in the machine. At the gauging position the desired dimension of the article is measured between two opposed axially movable probe rods. The measuring movement of one of the probe rods acts to position a deflecting member so that upon realease of the article from the gauging position it is diverted by the deflecting member into the proper receptacle according to whether its measured dimension was: too large, too small, or within satisfactory limits. Of course it will be understood that more than three categories could be established if desired.

The structure of the machine will now be described in detail, with reference to the drawings.

The base or supporing frame structure of the machine comprises a horizontal base plate 101 to which are secured vertical support members 102, 103, 190, 191 and 192. The vertical support members 190, 191 and 192 provide support for a conventional orienting and feeding device 629 from which the articles or primers are fed to the gauging and sorting machine through guide channel 29.

Vertical support members 102 and 103 are connected at their upper extremeties by a horizontal longitudinal cross bar member 104 upon which are secured a number of transverse support brackets such as 105, 106, 706, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 114, 470 and 464 and 465. These transverse brackets in turn support the majority of the component units of the machine.

In the interests of safety, the machine is operated by air pressure and utilizes a number of conventional and well known component units arranged in what is believed to be a novel and useful combination.

The major component units will first be described as to their positions and cooperation with other elements of the machine and later discussed in connection in the air circuit system.

Longitudinally mounted on a bracket at one end of base plate 101 is a reciprocating air piston motor unit 74 of conventional design. This unit 74 functions to terminate operation of the machine in the event that the air supply to the machine drops below a predetermined minimum pressure.

Longitudinally mounted on one end of horizontal cross bar member 104 by brackets 105 and 706 is another reciprocating air piston motor unit of conventional design. This unit 70 actuates the control probe rod 402 for the gauging operation in a manner to be described later.

Longitudinally mounted at the other end of horizontal longitudinal cross bar member 104 by brackets 111 and 112 is another reciprocating air piston motor unit 71. This unit 71 actuates the reference position probe rod 481 for the gauging operation in a manner to be de scribed later.

Transversely mounted on an intermediate portion of horizontal longitudinal cross bar member 104 by brackets 107 and 108 are two superimposed parallel reciprocating air piston motor units and 76. These units 75 and 76 actuate the movable deflecting sector 468 to which there are attached the deflector chutes 469 Max. and 469 Min. which divert the gauged primers into the proper receptacle according to size in a manner to be later described.

Pivotally mounted for movement about a vertical axis on bracket 98 is yet another reciprocating air piston motor unit 73. This unit 73 intermittently actuates the 180 degree clutch device indicated at 472 in a manner to be described later.

Mounted with its axis of rotation parallel to the horizontal longitudinal cross bar member 104 and secured thereto at an intermediate portion thereof by bracket 110 is a rotary air motor unit 72. This unit 72 drives the 180 intermittent clutch device indicated at 472 at intervals which are controlled by operation of reciproeating air piston motor unit 73 in a manner to be described later.

Longitudinally mounted on an intermediate portion of base plate 101 is a timer air cylinder 77 with a reciprocating piston at one end of which is secured a disk member 151. This piston 150 and cylinder times and controls the operating cycle of the machine in a manner later described.

Vertical guide channel 29 is secured at its lower end to bracket 119 in alignment with a vertical feed passage in bracket 109 which is transversely fixed to horizontal longitudinal cross bar member 104. Bracket 109 is provided with a shallow cylindrical cavity, the axis of which is parallel to longitudinal cross bar member 104. This cavity intersects the vertical feed passage. A pocketed wheel 171 is rotatably fitted into the cylindrical cavity in bracket 109. The wheel 171 is provided with two diametrically opposed pockets 172 in its periphery. These pockets are of a size to hold the primers and pass directly beneath the vertical feed passage in bracket 109 to receive individual primers therefrom when aligned therewith. Pocketed wheel 171 is secured by bolts to a radial flange member on shaft 471. Shaft 471 is rotatably supported in transverse brackets 114 and 470 which are sup ported on longitudinal cross bar member 104. Shaft 471 is positioned parallel to cross bar member 104 and provided at its other end with a chain drive sprocket and the 180 intermittent clutch drive mechanism indicated at 472. Shaft 471 is connected to be driven by rotary air motor unit 72 through the motor drive sprocket, the drive chain 91 and the drive sprocket on the shaft itself. "The rotary air motor unit continuously exerts a torque'to rotate shaft 471, but can so rotate the shaft and pocketed wheel 171 only when the 180 intermittent clutch device mechanism 472 is actuated. The 180 intermittent clutch drive mechanism 472 comprises a wheel element 473 mounted on the extremity of shaft 471. The wheel element 473 is provided on its side surface with, twovdiametrically opposed steps, oneof which is indicated at reference numeral 474. The two steps are joined by inclined cam portions Ordinarily the wheel element 473 is prevented from being rotated by rotary air motor 72 by the interengagement of one of the steps on the side surface of wheel element 473 and a blocking abutment 477 on a pivotally mounted element 476 which is mounted for limited movement about a vertical axis on pin 480. A transverse lever arm member 96 is rigidly secured to pivotally mounted element 476. Lever arm 96 extends transversely of and beneath longitudinal cross bar member 104. As can be seen in FIGURES l and 2, lever arm 96 and pivotally mounted element 476 to which it is rigidly secured arebiased by spring 94 into movement blocking position with respect to the steps such as 474 on wheel element 473 to prevent rotation of shaft 471 and pocketed wheel 171 carried thereon. The extremity of lever arm 96 is positioned in alignment with the actuating piston element 95 of reciprocating air piston motor unit 73 which is pivotally mounted at 97 on bracket 98. It will be understood that actuation of the air piston motor unit 73 will cause the piston element 95 to engage the lever arm 96 to pivot the abutment 477 out of engagement with the step in wheel member 473 to permit a 180 rotation of shaft 471 and the pocketed wheel 171. This 180 rotation of pocketed Wheel 171 will move the pocket at the top of the wheel to the bottom position and carry a primer contained therein into position where it will drop through vertical guide 174 and be deflected by the movable deflector sector 468 and the selected one of the deflector chutes 469 into the proper receptacle in accordance with the measured size of the primer. The position at the top of the pocketed wheel 171 is the primer gauging or measuring position into which the primers are fed via channel 29 and the vertical feed passage in bracket 119. In this position the primer in the pocket of the Wheel is engaged between the axially movable reference position rod 481 and opposed axially movable control rod 402. The reference position rod 481 engages the primer slightly before it is engaged by the control rod and establishes the reference point or position from which the measurement is made. The thrust of the control rod is adjusted to be slightly less than that of the reference position rod. Reference position rod 481 is slidably supported in sleeve member 482 and bracket 115 for movement perpendicular to the plane of wheel member 171 and parallel to shaft 471. Sleeve member 482 acts as a stripper device to prevent the measured object from sticking to the rod. One end of the reference position rod is secured to the piston element of reciprocating air piston unit 71 so that its movements are controlled thereby.

The control or measuring rod 402 is slidably supported for limited free movement in sleeve stripper element 463, bracket 464a, and the projecting arms of U-shaped bracket 106. A disc element 160 is fixed to control rod 402 all) 4 between the arms of U-shaped bracket 106 and limits the axial movement of the rod. One end of control rod is positioned adjacent to and in axial alignment with actuating piston element 401 of reciprocating air piston motor unit 70. Mounted in opposing aligned positions on the inner surfaces of the projecting arms of U-shaped bracket 106 are two identical air escape orifices 161 and 162. Air escaping equally from these orifices is directed against opposite sides of the disc 160. Air escape orifices are connected to the air Lines controlling the movement of transversely mounted reciprocating air piston motors 75 and 76. Air piston motors act in opposition to control the angular position of deflector sector 468and the. chutes 469 carried thereby, which assembly is mounted on shaft 466 which is itself journalled in transverse brackets 464 and 465. Shaft 466, onwhich the deflector means is rigidly secured, is provided with a drive sprocket 601. A drive chain 164 extends around drive sprocket 601, one end thereof being connected to the actuating piston element of reciprocating air piston motor unit 76, and the other end thereof being connected to the actuating piston element of companion reciprocating air piston motor unit 75. When reciprocating air piston motor unit 70 is actuated, its piston 401 engages the end of control rod 402 and moves it against the primer to be gauged, which is of course backed up by the reference position rod 481. The extent of movement of control 402 is dependent upon the dimension of the primer being measured, and according to'this dimension therefore, the disc will assume a given'positionbetwcen air escape orifices 161 and 162. It will be understood that movement toward one of the orifices will result .in a blocking of that orifice and a rise in pressure the air line connected thereto, under such a condition of course, the opposing air escape orifice is opened somewhat with a consequent pressure drop in its air line. This produces a difierential in the air pressure supplied to opposed reciprocating air piston motor units 75 and 76 so that the drive sprocket 601 to which each is connected by drive chain 164 is rotated an amount which will angularly position the primer deflecting means 468, 469 to divert the measured primer into the proper receptacle according to size upon the rotation of the pocketed wheel 171. If the measured primer is of the correct size, the disc 160 on control rod 402 will remain in a position equidistant between the air escape orifices 161 and 162 giving an'equa'l blocking effect and equal air pressure in the air lineto each. This equal air pressure will exist therefore in the air lines leading to the opposed reciprocating air piston motor units 75-and 76 so that no angular motion of the deflecting sector 468 from its central position will occur, allowing the measured primer to drop, as shown in FIG. 6, straight through vertical guide 174 from the bottom pocket position in wheel 171 into the proper receptacle which is directly beneath. A spring 163, acting between an arm 168 fixed to sprocket 601 and vertical support member 192, acts to oppose the unbalance of air motors 75 and 76 and to always return them to a centered position. Unbalance of the air motors 75 and 76 will result when the position of the control rod indicates a primer outside dimensional specifications and will .result in shifting the sector 468 to position either chute 469 Max. or 469 Min. beneath the vertical guide 174, as shown in FIG. 3, where chute 469 Max. is in defleeting position, to discharge into the container marked Max. Chute 469 Min. extends to the left from the sector 468 and, when it is in position beneath the guide 174, delivers primers to the container marked Min.

Having thus described the major component units of the machine in detail, the remaining component units of the machine which cooperate therewith will now be discussed.

A bleeder valve 82 is mounted on a bracket 82a on base plate 101 in alignment with one end of the piston of the timer cylinder 77. Engagement of bleeder valve 82 by end 140 of the timer cylinder piston causes the air pressure to drop in conduit 303 which is connected to the pilot section of pilot operated valve unit 24.

Two bleeder valves 80 and 81 are mounted on base plate 101 in alignment with the disc 151 on the other end of timer cylinder piston 150.

Engagement of bleeder valve 80 by the disc 150, bleeds the air from line 317 which is connected to the pilot section of pilot operated valve unit 24.

Engagement of bleeder valve 81 by the disc 150 bleeds the air to reduce the pressure in line 319 which is connected to the pilot section of another pilot operated valve 14.

A bleeder valve 83 is mounted on transverse bracket 116 which is supported on longitudinal support member 104. Bleeder valve 83 is aligned with the piston 95 of reciprocating air piston motor unit 73 and when engaged thereby bleeds the air to reduce the pressure in conduit 320 which is connected to the pilot section of pilot operated valve unit 24.

Pilot operated valve unit 14 controls the timer cylinder piston 150 and is connected to time cylinder 77 by conduits 322 and 323.

Pilot operated valve unit 24 controls reciprocating air piston motor unit 71 and is connected thereto by conduits 313 and 361. Pilot operated valve unit 24 also controls the flow of air to poppet valve unit 21, being connected thereto by conduit 318. Poppet valve unit 21 is actuated by engagement of lever with its control element. Engagement of lever 20 with the control element of poppet valve unit 21 causes pressure air to be directed to reciprocating air piston motor unit through conduit 306.

Lever 20 is spring urged into engagement with the outer end of the piston of reciprocating air motor unit 71.

A second poppet valve assembly 19 is mounted on longitudinal bracket 113 with its control element aligned with lever 20 to be actuated thereby. Actuation of poppet valve unit by lever 20 causes pressure air to be directed to reciprocating air piston motor unit 73.

Air escape orifice 161 is connected to reciprocating air piston unit 76 via conduit 307 and air escape orifice 162 is connected to reciprocating air piston unit via conduit 311.

Pressure air is led from a source not shown into conduit 331, air filter F, pressure gauge G, air filter F, low pressure cutofi device, and safety device 130, to main inlet conduit 302. From conduit 302 pressure air is supplied to reciprocating air piston motor units 75 and 76 and their respective air escape orifices 162 and 161 via conduits 310 and 308. Units 9 and 10 are air flow resistance units in conduits 308 and 310 respectively. Pressure air from inlet conduit 302 is supplied to pilot operated valve unit 14 via conduit 324, and is supplied to poppet valve unit 19, pilot operated valve unit 24, and rotary air motor unit 72 by conduits 315, 314 and 312 respectively.

Unit is a pilot operated valve unit which is controlled by remote operated bleeder valve unit 84 and other units such as the orienting and feeding unit 629 to'cut the air supply oif to the machine if desired or if the orienting and feeding unit exhausts its supply of primers to be acted upon. Reciprocating air piston motor unit 74 acts to cut the machine air supply in the event the air pressure falls below a predetermined minimum.

The reciprocating air piston motor units 70, 73 and 74 are of the spring return type which return to an initial position when the actuating air pressure is removed therefrom. Units 75 and 76 are not spring returned cylinders, although the spring 163 tends to return the assembly to a centered position.

The operation of the machine will now be described. It will be assumed that a supply of the articles to be gauged and sorted is available and being fed to the gauging position through guide channel 29 and that the machine is operating with the timer cylinder disc 151 moving to the right in FIGURE 1 to engage the bleeder i the pocketed wheel through 180.

6 valves 80 and 81. Actuation of bleeder valves 80 and 81 allows the air to escape through them to reduce the pressure in conduits 317 and 319. Reduction of air pressure in conduit 319 actuates pilot operated valve unit 14 to direct pressure air into conduit 322 to reverse the mo.- tion of timer cylinder piston and its disc 151. Reduction of air pressure in conduit 317 actuates pilot op erated valve unit 24 to direct pressure in, first through conduit 361 to cause reciprocating air piston motor unit 71 to advance the reference position rod 481 and second, through conduit 318 to apply the pressure air to poppet valve unit 21. As the piston of unit 71 advances, it allows lever 20 engaged therewith also to advance under the urging of its spring. As lever 20 advances (counter clockwise in FIGURE 1) it actuates poppet valve unit 21 which directs pressure air through conduit 306 to operate reciprocating air piston motor unit 70 which engages and advances the control rod 402 from the opposite direction.

The reference position rod 481 actuated by unit 71 engages the primer from one side of the pocket 172 in the wheel member 171 and the control rod 402 engages the primer from the other side. As previously mentioned the actuating force of control rod 402 is less than that of reference rod 481. Acordingly them ovement of control rod 402 will be limited by the thickness of the primer to control the position of the disc which controls the air pressure actuating motor units 75 and 76 by means of the air escape orifices 161 and 162 to position the defleeting sector 468 and chutes 469 to divert the measured primer into the proper receptacle after the wheel member 171 has been rotated to allow the measured primer to drop from the pocket at its lowermost position.

By the time the measuring or gauging operation has been completed by the opposed rod members the piston 150 of the timer cylinder 77 has reached the limit of its movement to the left (FIGURE 1) and strikes bleeder valve 82. This causes the pressure to drop in conduit 303 which reverses pilot operated valve unit 24 which cuts off the pressure air to air motor unit 70 via conduits 318 and 306. The air motor unit 70 returns under spring pressure to its initial position. Reversal of pilot operated valve 24 also cuts off pressure air to conduit 361 and diverts pressure air to conduit 313 to reverse motor unit 71 and withdraw the reference position rod 481. As the piston element of air motor unit 71 returns to the right (FIGURE 1) it forces lever 20 to move in a clockwise direction until it actuates poppet valve unit 119 to direct pressure air through conduit 316 to actuate reciprocating air piston motor unit 73 and extend its piston element 95. Movement of piston 95 causes it to engage the end of lever arm 96 to pivot the same together with element 476 to which it is attached so that abutment 477 is moved out of the way of the step in wheel element 473 to allow rotary air motor 72 to rotate shaft 471 and This allows the measured article or primer to drop through vertical guide 174 and be diverted into the proper receptacle by angularly positioned deflecting means 468, 469. The spring 94 causes arm 96 to relatch the wheel element 473 after 180 of movement.

Movement of piston 95 continues after it has actuated pivoted lever 96 until it engages bleeder valve 83. Engagement of bleeder valve 83 by piston 95 causes the pressure to drop in conduit 320 to actuate or reverse the pilot operated valve unit 14 which cuts off pressure air to conduit 322 and diverts pressure air into conduit 323 to cause timer cylinder piston 150 to move again to the right where it will again engage bleeder valves 80 and 81 to repeat the cycle.

It has been found that the machine will function satisfactorily to gauge and sort primers at a rate of from 60 to 100 per minute, selecting primers with a zone tolerance of 0.010".

The machine can be started and stopped by manipulation of handle or lever 20. With the air pressure ap- 7 plied to the machine, operation is'commenced by pushing the lever toward poppet valve unit 19 and releasing it. The hand-1e is moved back and forth during machine operation. To stop the machine, pressure is applied to lever 20 to prevent it from actuating poppet valve 19 and then the arm is released. The cancellation of inertia effects from unit 71 is suificient to stop poppet valve unit 19 from being actuated and operation is stopped.

As mentioned in the previous discussion, the reciprocating air piston motors, the rotary air motor, the pilot operated valve units, the poppet valve units, and bleeder valve units are all conventional and well known units, examples of which are disclosed in prior patents and publications.

While in accordance with the provisions of the Patent Statutes, I have illustrated and described the best form of the invention now known to me, it will be apparent to' those skilled in the art that changes may be made in the form of apparatus disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. 1 I claim:

- 1. An automatic pressure fluid operated machine for individually gauging and sorting a plurality of primers, comprising a frame, a wheel member provided with a primer receiving pocket therein and rotatably mounted in said frame for movement between a primer-receiving position and a primer-releasing position, guide means on said frame for directing primers one at a time into said pocket, first air motor means for moving said wheel from said primer-receiving position to said primer-releasing position, two opposed axially aligned rods, slidably mounted in said frame for movement into engagement with a primer in said pocket to measure a dimension of the .same when in said primer-receiving position, second air motor means on said frame for moving said opposed rods, a movable deflector cooperating with said wheel member when in said primer-releasing position for diverting a released measured primer into the proper one of three containers according to the measured size of said primers, third air motor for positioning said movable deflector means and controlled and actuated by means responsive to relative movement of said opposed rods, and a control means for operating said first air motor means, said second air motor means, and said third air motor means in a continuous predetermined sequence of operations.

.2. Automatic apparatus for gauging, and sorting ammunition primers into groups according to the gauged dimension comprising in combination, a frame, a wheel element rotatably mounted in said frame, said wheel element provided with a primer supporting pocket, rotary pneumatic drive means on said frame operatively connected to said wheel element to move the same between a primer supporting and gauging position and a primer releasing position, means for feeding a series of primers into said pocket, at first rod element mounted for recipro cating movement in said frame between an extended position in cooperation with said primer supporting pocket said first rod element between its first and second positions, pneumatic means on said frame for moving said second rod element between its first and second positions, a swinging primer directing member mounted for movement on said frame and positioned to cooperate with said pocket of said wheel element in its primer releasing position to direct a released gauged primer into the proper one of a .plurality of groups according to the gauged dimension, pneumatic means for moving said primer directing member, pneumatic means on said frame responsive to movementv of said secondrod element for controlling the movement of said means for moving said swinging primer. directing member, and pneumatic means cooperating with and actuating the first rod element moving means, the second rod element moving means, said means for movingv said primer directing member, and said drive means for .said wheel element continuously in predetermined timed sequence.

3. An automatic pressure fluid operated machine for individually gauging and sorting articles in accordance with a significant dimension thereof, comprising a frame, a wheel member provided with an article receiving pocket and rotatably mounted in said frame'for movement between an article receiving position and an article releasing position, guide means on said frame for directing articles one at a time into said pocket, first air motor means for moving said wheel from said article receiving position to said article releasing position, two opposed axially aligned'rods slidably mounted in said frame for movement into engagement with an article in said pocket to measure a significant dimension of said article when the wheel is in article receiving position, second air motor means on said frame for moving said opposed rods, a movable deflector cooperating with said wheel member when in said article releasing position for diverting a released measured article into the proper one of three containers according to the measured significant dimension of said article, third air motor means for positioning said movable deflector and controlled and actuated by means responsive to relative movement of said opposed rods, and a control means for operating said first air motor means, said second air motor means, and said third air motor means in a continuous predetermined sequence of operations.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 471,557 Kammerer March 29, 1892 2,523,555 Boosey Sept. 26, 1950 2,663,421 Reynolds et al Dec. 22, 1953 2,759,600 Saylor Aug. 21, 1956 2,836,296 Lewis it al May 27, 1958 

